Art and Plants through a First Nations Lens

Join First Nations artists, educators and the education teams at the Adelaide Botanic Gardens and the Art Gallery of South Australia for a full day about learning where arts and plants can overlap.

Adelaide Botanic Gardens

Join Kumarninthi in Adelaide Botanic Garden for a guided walk with a knowledgeable Aboriginal guide who will take you on an unforgettable journey of discovery as you learn about the various ways in which native plants are used in Aboriginal culture.

But that's not all - this trail is not just about plants, it's about people too. As you walk through the Gardens, you'll hear stories about the social history of the Aboriginal people and gain a deeper understanding of their unique way of life.

Art Gallery of South Australia

This workshop will provide all educators with insight into the way relationships between people, culture and country for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples can be conveyed through works of art.

To maximise your time hearing from our curator and guest artist, AGSA Education will provide access to an online presentation that introduces teachers to our strategies for responding to works of art by First Nation artists. This strategy is the framework that we recommend for best teaching practice, highlighted in the publication Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art in the Classroom volume 2. An addition PD certificate for 1.5hours will be provided when you access this resource. We recommend watching this session prior to the workshop, but can be viewed at any time.

Please note artists, presenters and curators may be subject to change. If minimum numbers are not met, this workshop may be cancelled and you will be provided with a full refund. In the event of cancellation, you will be notified 1 week prior to the workshop.

About the artist

Dylan Mooney is a proud Yuwi, Torres Strait and South Sea Islander man from Mackay in North Queensland working across painting, printmaking, digital illustration and drawing.

Born and raised in Mackay and now based in Brisbane, Mooney became interested in art as a teenager. Influenced by history, culture and family, Mooney responds to community stories, current affairs and social media. Armed with a rich cultural upbringing, Mooney now translates the knowledge and stories passed down to him, through art. Legally blind, the digital medium’s backlit display allows the artist to produce a high-impact illustrative style with bright, saturated colour that reflects his experiences with keen political energy and insight.

Mooney’s work Intertwined investigates our relationship with native flora and by extension, Australian culture. Rather than focussing on cuttings and arrangements in the still life genre, Mooney’s digital illustrations observe living plants as a way of highlighting the continuation of Indigenous culture, resistance to introduced species, and connection to Country — redefining the still life genre by celebrating resilience.